The Next Place
by dreamgoddess'92
Summary: One day in a small library a young Sam Winchester is given a book that leads to a gift surpassing material possession: hope.


This was just a little idea that popped into my head this morning.

I do not own Supernatural or "The Next Place" by Watten Hanson.

Reviews are much appreciated.

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"Hello there Sam, back for another book or should I say bookshelf?"

Sam Winchester looked over to the small counter where Mrs. Jordan, the head librarian, sat smiling at the familiar face. She was a nice old lady who let Sam go wherever he pleased in the old library. Passing out smiles and kind words to the young boy, Mrs. Jordan had grown accustomed to seeing Sam everyday after school for a good three hours. On weekends he practically lived in the library and despite her curious nature, Mrs. Jordan never pestered Sam on the whereabouts of his family as he settled into his comfortable routine at the Wilson County Library in Watertown, Tennessee.

Sam smiled sheepishly at Mrs. Jordan and dragged his book bag weighted down with various books to the counter where he would turn them in and a couple hours later check out the same amount – if not more.

"It just warms my heart to see someone so young dedicated to reading," Mrs. Jordan said not expecting a reply from the twelve-year-old. She had realized early on that Sam was a quite boy who kept to himself. She couldn't put her finger on why, but sometimes when she looked at Sam she got a soft pang in her heart.

When Sam wasn't looking, Mrs. Jordan would study the young boy and see a gentle sadness in his body language as if he carried a heavy burden. Naturally, she wished she could help Sam, but somehow she doubted she could.

Sam had been visiting the library for three weeks now and as he scuttled off to a new section of the library, Mrs. Jordan wondered why he spent so much time here instead of at home. She knew he had someone taking care of him because she had seen the black car pick Sam up everyday without fail. She also had caught a glimpse of the radiant smile on Sam's lips whenever he slid into the passenger seat of the car.

Mrs. Jordan didn't want to scare the boy, but she felt the natural mothering instincts take over and quietly she followed Sam until he sat down in front of a new shelf of books. His eyes flew over the spines of the books, occasionally taking one down to read the back and studying it before deciding if he wanted it.

If it wasn't what he was looking for, Sam always placed the book back in its rightful spot before moving to a new shelf. Mrs. Jordan saw a quiet determination in his eyes as he pulled a book down involving ghosts. She tried to hide her surprise when she looked up and saw what section Sam had chosen today.

All around the boy were books dealing with the supernatural. Behind him, were books about various religions and when Sam studied a book about the afterlife, Mrs. Jordan decided to step in.

"Sam, is there anything I can help you find?" she asked softly when Sam turned to look at her in shock. His body was tense for a moment, but he quickly relaxed when he saw who it was.

He looked down at the growing pile of books by his side and began to panic. He didn't want Mrs. Jordan thinking he was a freak or anything because he was doing research. Dad and Dean were in town dealing with a haunting and Sam wanted to help so he had been slowly, but surely, making his way to this isle of the library. There wasn't much on the subject of ghosts and poltergeists, but Sam would have to make due with that the library had. However, when his eyes caught sight of "The Afterlife: What Awaits Us On The Other Side," Sam instantly thought of his mom and couldn't contain his desire to know where she was.

Sam pulled the books towards him in an effort to hide them, but Mrs. Jordan took a couple steps towards Sam, she smiled.

"Now there Sam, no need to hide those. I take it your curious about what happens after we die?" Mrs. Jordan said without a hint of judgment in her voice. She figured at this age, she'd rather have Sam curious about death then sex and drugs.

"Yes ma'am," Sam replied looking up at her.

"May I ask why?" Mrs. Jordan asked curious, but when Sam's eyes clouded with pain she instantly regretted the question.

"I'm sorry sweetie, you don't have to tell me if you don't want. However, I want to show you a book I think will be of more help to you," she said and offered Sam her wrinkled hand.

Looking down at the pile of books, Sam frowned.

"Don't worry about those books Sam," Mrs. Jordan said and then Sam gently took her hand in his. Pulling Sam to his feet, Mrs. Jordan led Sam to the Juvenile section. She saw the look on Sam's face and chuckled. He obviously didn't believe his answers lie in this section of the library.

"Trust me Sam. Some of the greatest books ever written were written for young children. There's a brutal truth and innocence that lies in the pages meant for the youth of the world," Mrs. Jordan said with a soft lit in her voice that made Sam look at her in silent awe. Nodding to show he trusted her, Sam let her gesture to a soft chair for him to sit.

It took Mrs. Jordan a few minutes to find what she was looking for and when she returned to Sam's side she was carrying a thin purple book in her arms.

"The Next Place?" Sam asked curious when she handed him the book. Before she could reply a tall figure came up behind them.

"Sammy, it's time to go," Dean Winchester said when he finally found his little brother.

"Dean I just got here!" Sam protested, but the look on Dean's face made him sigh in defeat and stand. With his luck, Sam knew when Dean said 'it's time to go,' he didn't just mean the library. They were probably done with the job and moving on to another one.

"Here you go, I probably won't be back so…" Sam started to hand Mrs. Jordan the book, but she stopped him.

"Oh no dear, you keep that. I have a feeling it will be of more use to you than this old place," she replied and Sam just stared at her.

"Go on Sam, please keep it. Think of it as a gift. Maybe it will give you the answers you've been looking for," she said when Dean bent down to grab Sam's back and pull him away.

"Sam we have to go," Dean urged and Sam nodded, still in awe at the gift Mrs. Jordan had given him. She quickly walked the boys to the library entrance and waved.

"Take care of yourself Sam. I'll miss seeing you around," she said and watched as Sam shot her a grateful look before both boys piled into the black car. She saw a man driving and guessed that was their Dad.

Sam looked out of the back window and waved to her as they drove off. Mrs. Jordan didn't know where they were going, but she knew in her gut she'd never see Sam again and that broke her heart a little. She hoped wherever Sam ended up that he was happy and safe- maybe with a few more answers to the questions that haunted him.

A few weeks later Sam sat on the cold motel bed, looking at the book he had yet to crack open.

Between the string of hunts they had been throwing themselves into, the Winchester boys barely had any strength to eat let alone read. However, John had taken Dean out for food and a drink thinking Sam had been asleep.

Honestly Sam just wanted some time alone to read and remember the nice old lady who showed him nothing but kindness for three weeks in his hectic life.

Gently stroking the smooth cover, Sam opened "The Next Place," and his eyes widened in awe at the colorful and soothing pictures that greeted him.

Sam briefly wondered what it would've been like to have his mother read this to him. She'd pull him into her warm arms and her voice would flow over him like the water in a stream.

"The next place that I go will be as peaceful and familiar as a sleepy summer Sunday and a sweet untroubled mind," Sam whispered running his fingers over the pink sky and white clouds on the page.

Sam heard the wind rattle the windows of the sleazy motel, but couldn't bring himself to care because for a moment he swore he caught the scent of honeysuckle and vanilla floating around the room. Settling back into the pillows he piled up behind him, Sam continued to read the comforting words under his breath.

Sam felt the sting of warm tears in his eyes as he read on. He no longer felt cold despite the thin walls and cold drafts that filtered in through the cracks. Sitting on that strange bed, Sam felt warmth in his heart – warmth that flowed over his skin that felt so familiar to him like a long forgotten dream.

"I will cherish all the friendship I was fortunate to find, all the love and laughter in the place I leave behind. All these good things will go with me. They will make my spirit glow and the light will shine forever in the next place that I go," Sam finished, tears falling down his cheeks when he heard the whisper of a woman's voice in the back of his mind. The comforting voice he wouldn't be able to recall later lulled him to sleep with wordless lullabies and phantom kisses on his tender forehead.

When John and Dean returned to the motel they paused in reflex as they felt a familiar presence in the room.

Dean rushed to Sam to make sure he was all right, but the young boy was asleep on the bed, a purple book open to a page filled with bright hope that would echo in the heart of Sam Winchester until the very end.

Dean closed the book and carefully tucked his brother in, running a hand through his curly hair in affection.

"D'n" Sam mumbled and Dean sat at the edge of the bed while John looked around the room cautiously.

"Sammy go back to sleep, you're okay," Dean replied when Sam opened his eyes to look at him. Sam looked over at his dad and then back to Dean and smiled.

"I know," Sam said but before Dean could pull away Sam's hand shot out to keep him close.

"Sam?" Dean asked confused and John approached his sons.

"Dean, she's okay," Sam said with a tone of reverence in his voice. Dean looked up at their dad in confusion.

"Who's okay Sam?" John asked his youngest feeling a cold chill race down his spine when Sam turned his eyes to focus on him.

Sam just smiled sleepily before conking out for the night. When he woke up the next morning Sam couldn't remember the words he spoke to Dean and John no matter how many times they asked.

All he recalled was a dream of a faceless woman speaking assuring words of love surrounded by the light of endless souls and a thousand suns.

The next morning the boys began to head out. In a flurry of packing, a purple book fell forgotten under the bed a young Sam Winchester slept in.

It wouldn't be for many more years until Sam saw his mother's spirit and watch her fade into a brilliant light before he'd remember that purple book and the kind woman who gave it to him in hopes of quelling the unspoken pain in his eyes.

"So, where do you think Mom is now?" Dean asked quietly as they sat in the Impala. Both brothers were lost in their own worlds, but Dean's words struck a chord in the silence: waking them both.

A grown Sam Winchester turned to look at his brother before smiling. Dean saw the familiar gleam in Sam's eyes that he hadn't seen since that night in the motel. Sam opened his mouth and repeated the long forgotten words that had brought him comfort many years ago.

"The next place that I go will be as peaceful and familiar as a sleepy summer Sunday and a sweet untroubled mind."

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Like I said at the top, this was just a little thing that popped into my head. I was cleaning my room when I came across my copy of "The Next Place," and a friend of mine recently died so I've been thinking a lot about what happens after we die. It felt nice to approach death and heaven from Sammy's point of view.

I hoped you enjoyed my fic.


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